Deliverance
by DesireeStorms
Summary: Black Hat wakes up after the explosion to find himself in a woman's home, but she had not been aware of his "condition" when she had found him unconscious in the desert. When a group of vampires attack the town, he kidnaps her, but she isn't going down without a fight. What neither realize is that their fates have been bound together in a way that they would have never expected.
1. Turned a New Leaf

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Ava.**

**Chapter #1: Turned a New Leaf**

_There are many who believe they are their own destiny—a single unit detached from the rest of the world. They are the main controllers of their actions and outcomes. This is not true, for everything in life is connected, whether it is directly or indirectly. Depending on what action you take, or how you execute it will effect what outcome you are linked to. If you are destined to accomplish something, have something, or even meet someone, then it will happen regardless of your actions. Only the select few that get everything right witness the wonders of what follows. Now, the outcomes aren't always happy like one would prefer. Horrors beyond imagination can and will occur should the wrong choices be made. People, animals, plants, and even the simplest of organisms are connected to each other depending on their nature and what choices they make—how they use their resources. Even the most opposite and dissimilar of people can be connected by a single occurrence—accidental or planned. You can be linked to someone even if something happens that wasn't supposed to. But everyone is connected to someone, situation good... or bad. Human… or inhuman._

She exhaled a weighty sigh, shoulders slouching with the action as her fingers tapped idly on the ragged steering wheel. Her dark chestnut hair blew about gently with the wind that rushed past through the open window, causing her to fling a piece from her face in annoyance as it fell in her eyes. Her destination was not far from her reach at this point, the outline of her town already visible in the far distance. After completing a two-day journey between towns, she was ready to retire to her bed and get some shuteye, but God had other plans for her that night; for it was right at that moment that she caught eye of something on the ground roughly two hundred feet away, blemishing the flat, smooth sands. Squinting, she leaned forwards in her seat. It was too dark to be a rock, and too large to be a dog or any animal that she had seen around these parts.

"What the hell…?"

Turning the steering wheel, she redirected the truck's path towards the strange heap. It wasn't until she was closer that she came to the abrupt realization that it was a man. He was clad completely in black, and if she hadn't been paying attention she may have missed him completely in the dimness of the night.

"Jesus!"

Putting the truck in park, she hastily jumped out and approached him, drawing her gun in the process as a simple precaution. Outsiders were not common here, and so she cautioned this stranger despite the fact he was clearly incapacitated. Injured or not, even people could react rashly if awakened suddenly from a confused blackout. Gently, she nudged him with her foot, but he showed no signs of stirring, so she took to cautiously kneeling down at his side. Her eyes instantly noted the burned and tattered clothes he was wearing, and by what she could tell they were freshly inflicted, but he was breathing. Reaching forward, she took him by the shoulder and carefully rolled him onto his back so she could get a better look at his face, only to pause when she saw the distinctive mark on the forehead.

"A priest…?" She gave him another inquisitive onceover. "You do not look the part, hun…" What was a priest doing in these parts? And alone?

Pushing his coat aside, she gently rolled up his shirt, which was beyond repair. It appeared as though most of the damage had been done to his front, as if the blast had hit him face on. Vicious-looking burns blotched his stomach, and his face had suffered as well, but they were less serious. She assumed he had shielded himself with his arms, blocking most of the blow from his face, but the less protected flesh of his torso and neck had suffered. It was a wonder to her how he had managed to make it this far with injuries as severe at this. The pain must have been incredible.

She released a small huff. "What the hell happened to you, buddy?" Standing, she picked up the black hat that lay beside him and walked around behind him before slipping her arms under his. With a forceful lift, she heaved up his upper body and proceeded to drag him back towards the truck, knowing she couldn't just leave him there. "You better be nice when you wake up…"

After a great deal of effort, she had managed to get him into the truck and to town, but not without receiving a plentiful number of stares as she dragged his limp body back out of the truck to take him into her home. She had been approached by a man whom she was familiar with on a friendly scale, and despite his obvious skepticism towards the stranger he had aided her in carrying him into the bedroom, where he was set down on the bed.

"Are you sure about this, Ava? A priest? The guy don't even look like one."

"I can't just leave him to die, Jonathan."

"For all you know he's gone rogue. I mean, look at 'im. You ever seen a priest that looks like this?"

"Why don't we wait until he's awake and give him a fair chance to explain himself?" She looked up at him finally. "He's injured and needs medical attention. We can't just jump to conclusions out of fear."

He hardly appeared reassured. "Should I get the doc?"

She shook her head. "I can handle it. I've treated burns before."

"All right," he sighed. "Give a call if you need anything. I gotta get back to the house."

"Not a problem, love. Get back to your wife and boy."

Once he was gone, she was able to focus all of her attention on her patient. Gently, she began to strip him down. Pulling off his dust-coated boots, she tossed them aside before unbuckling his belt and tugging down the tattered pants. There were a few minor burns on his legs as well, but nothing too serious. The trench coat went after, but she was a bit more careful while removing his ruined shirt; for the fabric had been scorched to his skin from the severity of the burns on his torso. After a few minutes, she had managed to detach the clothing completely and tossed that aside as well, leaving him in nothing but his boxers. Now able to see his injuries more clearly, she began with the most severe, figuring that if he woke up it would be better if those were already done with. Being as gentle as possible, she used a metal scrape to remove the dead skin. Luckily, the bleeding was minimal, and she was able to apply the ointment with little to no hassle.

He never flinched as she worked—not a single twitch. It was an honest concern she had that he'd fallen into some sort of coma, but only time would tell. Using a damp cloth and warm, soapy water, she took the liberty to wipe him down. Her guess was he had taken a rough fall or had been in a fight prior to whatever caused the burns, because he was covered in a layer of dust, dirt, and blood. A rather nasty stab wound in his neck had caused blood to trickle down to his shoulder, which was now dry and coagulated for the most part. It was a mystery to her as to how he had survived such an injury, especially when she had seen the blood around his lips. She would have given him blood as an extra precaution, but she had no way of telling what his blood type was, and in the end she decided it too risky. Dipping the cloth in the basin, she gently began to clean his face, taking a moment to give his features a good study in the process. If the situation had been less death-defying, he would have been someone she'd have found handsomely attractive, masculine features lax with temporary coma. Granted, he was a bit scruffy, but, then again, all priests looked a little rough around the edges. Aside from the burns, his body also contained a collection of impressive scars. One was a set of deep claw marks that raked over his left shoulder. Without realizing it, her eyes had softened as she looked him over.

"Poor baby," she muttered pensively. Reaching up, she gently whisked a couple stray hairs from his face.

It was hours later that the first pinpricks of consciousness began to poke at his brain. Bit by bit, dull flickers of light punctured the darkness he had fallen into, rousing his comatose mind into some sort of comprehension. Consciousness came with a price, however, as he released a sharp hiss at a pain that seemed to consume his entire body. Lifting a hand, he gingerly touched the source where it was most prominent, frowning when his fingers brushed over a strange fabric. It was then he became aware of something else that grabbed his attention. The rough, hot sand had been replaced with something soft and warm. Slowly, he willed his eyes to open, and he was greeted with the first glimpses of his surroundings. He was in a dark room, the only light being from the lamp sitting on the nightstand beside the bed he was laying on

After a moment, he managed to push himself up into a sitting position, wincing faintly at the pain the burns inflicted as they were strained, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been in previous hours. No matter. They would be healed by sunrise. He had no time to sit around like a sick infant. He needed to return to the queen before those bastards reached her first. Everything from the day prior came rushing back in a violent flood, as a barely detained rage boiled to life within his gut, causing his blood to simmer. They would pay. He would make them all suffer for what they had done.

Reaching down, he grabbed a fistful of the blanket covering him and threw it aside—only to pause suddenly when he felt a draft flow over his body. Head snapping down, his eyes flew wide when he realized he was practically nude. Snapping his head up, he looked around for his clothes, but they were nowhere to be found. All he was presented with was a pair of clean black pants and black button-up shirt on the nightstand. Completely ignoring the pain, he practically jumped up from the bed and snatched the clothes off the table. He quickly pulled on the pants and buckled the belt before shrugging on the shirt, gingerly buttoning it despite the fact it was rubbing up against his wounds.

Then all of a sudden his head snapped up when he heard the door handle jiggling, body freezing as it opened to reveal a young froze visibly when she had lifted her head to see him standing there before her. It had honestly startled her, but she managed to collect herself quickly enough.

"I wasn't expecting you to be up. How do you feel?"

"Where am I?" he demanded.

"You're in Firestone. I found you unconscious a few miles outside the town's borders." Slowly, she approached him, and he looked down when she handed him a folded article of clothing. "Your pants and shirt were a hopeless cause, but our tailor was able to save your coat and hat."

He took them from her quickly, wasting no time in fitting the hat onto his head. He tipped the rim down to hide his eyes from her view as he shrugged on his coat. "…Thank you."

She folded her arms over her chest, eyeing him carefully. "Aren't you in pain? Those burns are pretty serious… and you're wearing clothes on top of them."

He stared at her silently for a lengthy moment. "Who are you?"

"You can call me Ava. I'm going to assume you won't tell me yours. I don't think I've ever heard anyone address a priest by their actual name."

A grim smirk stretched across his lips at hearing her call him a priest. She didn't know. Despite the fact he was thirsting for the taste of the red nectar that ran through her veins, he would allow her to live for her services. There were plenty of other people in this town he could quench his thirst with.

"I appreciate the help, darlin'." Tipping his hat at her, he made for the door, but he was taken aback when her arm swiftly shot out in front of him, blocking his path. Looking back to her face, he saw she was setting him with a firm stare.

"You're not going anywhere until you answer some questions, buddy."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Oh?"

"What's with the gun slinger getup? No offense, but you hardly look like a priest."

The smirk was renewed. "You could say I've… turned a new leaf."

He watched as her eyes narrowed a fraction. She was suspicious of him, but it hardly mattered. She was no match for him.

"I figured as much," she said at last, and then a gun was suddenly up against his throat. "But that doesn't answer my question. _Who are you_?"

He just might have laughed, but he held it back with a wry grin. "My, my… such hostility."

The gun's nose pressed a little harder against his throat as a response, and there was a small click as it was cocked in warning. Her eyes were fierce, green orbs drilling holes through him.

"You know…" he began, "it's not a good idea to point a gun so close… because it makes it easy to do _this_." At the word "this", he had abruptly turned, whacking the gun from her grasp and taking it in his own in the same motion. When he pressed it against her head, however, she had been ready for him, and he was met with another gun to his face within the same second. She'd had a spare ready for him. This time he did allow a heart chuckle to leave his lips. "You're quick."

"I thought priests didn't use guns," she replied coolly.

He smirked. "You're right. My apologies." With that, he twirled the gun in his hand and handed it back to her so she could take it by the handle, watching as her eyes shifted to it before back to him in suspicion. Slowly, she reached up and took it from him, and after some serious contemplation she hesitantly allowed her other gun to lower.

"Who are you?" she questioned, her voice low.

Before he was able to speak, both their attentions were suddenly turned upwards by a shrill, female scream that came from outside.

"What the hell?" Ava said.

"Looks like my ride's here."

She looked back to him, frowning when she saw the more than pleased grin that had spread across his face. That was when she saw them. Fangs. He had fangs. Lips parting, she took a couple steps back from him, her eyes having widened.

"You're…"

Turning to her, his smirk grew when he saw the look of shock in her eyes. "_Turned a new leaf_."

She bolted. Her speed caught him momentarily off guard, taking him completely aback when she leapt clear out of the open window. Her hands caught a horizontal bar just outside, and with the maneuvering of a professional gymnast her body was swooping upwards and out of sight. Quirking an eyebrow, he went to the window and looked up, but she had disappeared. Clever girl.

Ava's eyes swam with horror as she overlooked the chaos before her. Vampires. There were vampires attacking the town. She watched as people were pounced, crashing to the ground as their screams rang through the air. Smoke entered her nostrils from the fires, as an indescribable horror froze her blood within her veins. Within seconds, the entire town had flows up into fiery bedlam. Then suddenly, she froze when she heard what sounded like a low growl behind her. Without thinking about it or turning to face the noise, she ran forward and leapt from the roof of the building, narrowly avoiding the clawed hand that lashed out at her from behind. Her hands caught a pole on her way down, which she used to slide to the ground. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, she took off at a full sprint. People were being slaughtered left and right, their screams ringing in her ears with the snarls and shrieks of the vampires. Not too far from her, she watched as a woman was tackled to the ground, as the vampire's fangs sunk into her neck.

"NO!" Pulling out a dagger, she threw it as hard as she could, and it impaled the distracted creature through the cranium, but it didn't matter. The woman was already dead. She was forced to recoil violently when a man suddenly came crashing through the window she was standing in front of, and her eyes flew wide as the sight of the vampire on top of him. When she realized who the man was, her heart skipped a beat.

"Jonathan!"

"Run, Ava!" he shouted at her, barely holding back the vampire's snapping jaws from tearing into his throat.

Bending down, she snatched up a large, jagged shard of broken glass and ran at them. When Jonathan saw this, his eyes lit up with horror.

"NO, AVA!"

The vampire looked up with a snarl right as she had raised her arm to strike, and the next second she found herself on her back with a pair of three-inch-long fangs making a frenzied attempt at her jugular. Her arm had shot up last second, blocking the creature by pressing up against its neck. Looking next to her, she quickly grabbed the glass shard from the ground, and then she was driving it upwards into the monster's belly. It released a shrill, irate screech, as she dragged the sharpened glass down its middle, slicing it open like a bloodied piñata. Blood poured out from the wound, drenching her in the repugnant fluid as she shoved the beast off her with a determined shout. It continued to writhe for another a moment or so before falling still, dead. Jonathan had appeared over her seconds later, and she took his hand as he offered it to her.

"Jonathan, you need to get out of here! Go; you can take my motorcycle. It's the fastest in town."

"I'm not leaving without you, Ava!"

"There's not enough room for me. Is Isobel and your boy still alive?"

"I have them hidden."

"Then go before they are found." At his hesitation, she gave his chest a firm push. "GO! I'll be alright. Go!"

Although he hardly appeared willing, he finally turned and took off in the opposite direction. Once he was out of sight, she returned her attention to the battlegrounds. She guessed a rough estimate of about thirty vampires, but where had they come from? Her mind traveled back to the man she had brought into her home. He was one of them. The fangs in his mouth were proof enough of that. That meant he was part of this. He was in on it, and she had brought him here. She had brought his upon the town. The vampires were here, not only to feed, but for their master.

"Oh my God…" she breathed, horrified.

"There she is!"

"She's the one!"

Ava whipped about sharply at the voices, and her eyes narrowed to slits when she saw a total of five Familiars stalking towards her, their ghostly blue eyes glinting maliciously. On instinct, her muscles clenched as they surrounded her, grinning with blackened teeth. She stood her ground, eyes shifting to each of them as they closed in, but she remained calm. Vampires were one thing, but Familiars were slow. They were practically human.

"Come here, sweetheart."

Just a little closer….

Her leg shot up in a lighting fast front kick to the first one's chest, before it swung backwards in a back kick, nailing the one behind her. Another ran at her with a swing of his fist, which she ducked underneath before throwing her arm up into his face, the blow knocking him backwards. She was grabbed from behind, but she twisted her body and used the Familiar's grip against him, as she skillfully switched their positions before bringing her leg up under his jaw. Her body twisted and turned, maneuvering around them effortlessly as they continued to try and subdue her, but no cigar. Her head snapped up when she heard a shout, which gave her just enough time to dodge a blow from a metal pole. Swiftly, she grabbed the pole and twisted her body, dislodging it from the Familiar's hands before swiping it under his legs, knocking him to the ground. Now armed, she wasted no time in finishing them off, her body moving with a graceful fluidity as she took out the remaining Familiars. One hit across the face, another to the back and chest, and a rather nasty blow to the ribs, they fell one by one, groaning from their bruised ribs and throbbing skulls.

She stood at a standstill, still in a guarded pose with the pole wielded in her grasp. When none of the Familars showed any signs of getting up, she allowed her muscles to relax, but only slightly. That was when the sound of clapping reached her ears. Eyes narrowing, she turned and froze when she was greeted with the sight of _him_. He was standing not three feet from her, hands clapping leisurely, almost as if to mock her. His eyes were hidden by the rim of his hat, but his smirk was clearly visible, smug and amused.

"Impressive."

"Why are you doing this?" she exclaimed.

His smirk didn't falter. "I don't know what you mean. I was unconscious."

Before she was able to respond, she was abruptly cut off by a hard blow to the back of her head. Body lurching, she fell to the dirt, pole falling from her now limp grasp. The Familiar who had struck her sneered down at her distastefully, now fashioning a black eye from where her fist had connected. Before he could striker her again, however, Black Hat held a hand up.

"Enough." He stared down at her for a moment, golden orbs studying her with intense scrutiny. "Take her to the mansion."


	2. Butting Heads

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Ava and Damien.**

**Chapter #2: Butting Heads**

A low moan emitted from deep within her throat as she felt the vague glimmers of consciousness prodding at her senses. A dull throb caused her to lift her hand towards the back of her head where the Familiar had struck her, wincing as her fingers ran over the small bump. That was when it suddenly all came rushing back to her in an abrupt wave. Flashbacks of the chaos that had erupted flared through her mind, branding the images into her retinas as the screams of the townspeople and snarls of the vampires rang in her ears like a ghoulish orchestra. Before she could think further, she was abruptly sitting up, which was when she froze as she realized she was no longer standing in the middle of the warzone she had blacked out in. The vampires were gone; everyone was gone. She was in a room—a bedroom, she realized. By the looks of it, she had been taken to a mansion of sorts, the lavish, although aged, furnishings proving that theory. This singled out a few locations in her head, but even the closest area was miles away from her town. How she had gotten there, she was not sure, but she knew she needed to get out. The last thing she remembered before blacking out were a pair of jack o'lantern golden eyes glaring down at her, which could only mean this was _his_ doing.

Suddenly, her head snapped up when she heard the distinct jingling of keys, her eyes shifting to the doorknob sharply as it jiggled. Quickly, she laid back down and pretended to be asleep, focusing on keeping her features lax as she listened to a single pair of booted footsteps approaching the bed. She waited, listening as they walked around the footboard before coming to a stop beside her. _Now!_

Her leg shot outwards, and she was rewarded with a surprised shout of both pain and shock as her foot made direct contact with the intruder's groin. Her eyes flew open, her leg flying up and nailing the Familiar under the chin, which sent him tumbling backwards to the floorboards in a clumsy heap. Seeing he was still conscious, she jumped off the bed and sent her boot into his face, knocking him out cold. With no time to waste, she tore for the door, when a second Familiar appeared in the doorway, having been alerted by the other's shout. When he saw her, his eyes flew wide in surprise.

"What the hell—!"

She dropped to the ground without pause, and she slid down between his legs with a fluid grace, but not before sending her fist into his crotch mid-fall. He collapsed to his knees, hands having flown to his groin, and with no more Familiars currently in sight she took off at a blazing sprint.

"_THE GIRL ESCAPED!"_

Ava tore down the hall, taking a tight turn around the corner that nearly sent her skidding on the tile floor. Within seconds, another Familiar had appeared in the hall and was running straight towards her. She dodged his swinging fist with ease, using his thrust against him as she deflected his arm and sent her fist into the center of his face. As he fell back, another came running around the corner. Without pausing, she ran forward and sprang off a table sitting against the wall, giving the Familiar only enough time to look up at her in surprise as her feet made solid contact with his chest, sending them both falling to the ground. Unlike him, she landed in a summersault and took off running without skipping a beat. What she wasn't aware of was that she as being watched, as she dropped to her knees and slid under the legs of a Familiar, jabbing his hamstring in the process and causing him to cry out at the pain that shot all the way up his leg. As he fell, yet another appeared. Blitzing forward, she jumped off the back of the fallen Familiar and used him to vault herself into the air. Her legs wrapped around the neck of her attacker, and she threw her body around to the left, using her grip to throw him to the ground. She landed on her feet, but his head was slammed into the tile.

Two ran in at once this time, but she was prepared. Eyes fierce, she ran at them without hesitation, waiting until she was close before dropping down and swiping her foot under one of their legs. As he dropped, she blocked a blow from the other before sending her leg upwards and kicking him under the chin. With no more in sight, she flew down the hall and around the corner, leaving her victims groaning in pain in her wake. After a confusing but brief navigation through the halls, she came across a staircase, and down below she saw the main foyer, the huge double door awaiting her. Just as she was going to make a run for it, however, another Familiar appeared virtually from nowhere and roughly shoved her aside. She toppled to the ground, but she recovered quickly and was back on her feet within a second, and she was exchanging blows. It didn't take long for her to gain the upper hand, her opponent buckling when she managed to get a hit to the back of his leg, and her knee flew up, striking a direct hit to his face in his hunched over position. He stumbled back, and he would have fallen to his death down the long flight of stairs if her hand hadn't shot out last second and grabbed him by the collar. With a firm yank, he was thrown behind her, and he fell to the carpet after colliding with the wall.

She ran down the stairs, skipping some steps all together, and she was there. Just as she was reaching for the two handles, however, the doors suddenly opened from the other side, and she skidded to an abrupt halt, her eyes flying wide as she was presented with the sight of _him_ standing before her. Before she could react, she was sent flying backwards and to the ground after a firm shove to her chest. She released a short yelp with the landing, but she was able to collect herself and snap her head up when she heard his footsteps, her hair whipping with the motion. The first thing she saw was his feet, and out of reflex she made a swift swipe for his legs.

He hadn't been expecting her to react so quickly. Taken off guard by her speed, he hadn't been ready for the attack, and his feet were swept from beneath him. He fell, eyes widening in brief surprise, but he was able to catch himself, jumping back to his feet in exactly the same moment as she did. Instantly, they began to circle one another, staring each other down intently. Molten gold met with hazel green, him studying her with mainly curiosity, while she appeared distrustful and guarded.

Black Hat watched her with a mixture of interest and suspicion, his eyes scanning her up and down. He'd managed to get a good look at her while she was out, and he had admired her features graciously. Smooth skin, blushed slightly at the cheeks, and hair that fell in waves of dark silk, which was slightly frazzled from her struggles, a few curls having fallen into her pretty face. Now that she was awake, he was getting his first good look at her eyes, vibrant, alert, and promising death should he make a move to touch her. Of course, she was no match for him. The Familiars were weak… slow…. Hell, they were practically human. However, it wasn't just her skills in combat that had sparked his interest. Fleetingly, his eyes shifted back up towards the stairs, where he had witnessed her pull the Familiar back before knocking him out.

"Why did you save the Familiar from falling?"

She paused visibly, and he watched as her eyebrows slowly drew together at his question.

"You saved him." His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Because I'm not a murderer."

Slowly, the smirk reappeared on his lips, when all of a sudden his fist shot forwards. She deflected it, and his smirk grew at her guard. There was a brief pause, and he sent another, which she deflected before jumping into the air as he made a swipe at her legs with his. He stood straight once more, and they resumed circling. By this time, a few of the Familiars had stumbled into view at the top of the stairs, and they were now watching them with malicious smiles.

Ava's glare didn't lift as she stared at him, the spirit of a tiger in her eyes. He was testing her, she knew. She had caught his interest, and he was toying with her like a cat and ball of string. Then suddenly, he jumped at her again, this time sending a combination of different maneuvers at her. She deflected them all and threw in her own share of attacks, each testing out the other's skill with intent concentration.

Slowly, he grew fancier with his attacks, watching with a barely contained smirk as she followed through flawlessly. Of course, he was going easy on her. Playing with her. She would have been on the ground with his fangs sunken into her succulent jugular by now if that was what he had wanted—but no. He had not brought her here to kill her. Finally, he ceased his attacks and fell back into step, and for the third time their circling resumed. From the railings, the Familiars were watching them excitedly.

"Where did you learn to fight?" he asked her calmly.

"What's it to you?" she hissed in return.

"Can't a man be curious?"

"If you were a man," she countered.

His eyes narrowed the slightest bit at her cheek. "And what makes humans so respectable?"

Her eyes remained solidly locked with his as they circled. "For starters, they don't drink blood."

"Perhaps not," he replied calmly. "But they lie; they betray… they manipulate the weak so they can profit their own benefits. They kill one another in the frantic race for survival."

"You speak as if you are innocent of these crimes," she spat, sickened. "I just watched you burn down an entire town."

"Actually, I had nothing to do with that. They followed me there."

"I dare you to lie to my face and tell me you couldn't have stopped them."

He eyed her closely, and although his lips didn't give any emotion away, his eyes were smiling maliciously at her. "Everyone has to eat."

She shook her head at him in disgust. "Then why not eat me? Why spare my life? You don't know me."

"I know you're the one responsible for treating my wounds… though, they hardly needed to be treated." He smirked.

A disdainful sniff left her. "My apologies. I didn't realize you were a mutation when I found you lying in an unconscious heap in the sands."

His eyes narrowed at her when he heard the Familiars exchanging whispers above them. "We can continue this lovely banter over dinner." Glancing up towards the Familiars, he gave a single nod, and they were descending the stairs towards them.

Ava looked back at them before returning her gaze to Black Hat, appearing less than impressed. Her eyes never left his even as one of the Familiars took her by the arm, but with a single yank she freed herself from his grip.

"I can walk myself," she said.

The Familiar looked to his master for approval, and with a vague nod from Black Hat he backed off. With one last icy glare, Ava turned away from him, her elegant waves twirling with the sharp motion as she walked off at a cool stride, the Familiars trailing behind in her wake. She allowed them to lead her back to the bedroom she had awoken in, for now having decided she would cooperate. Once she was inside, the Familiars had left—all except for one. He hung back in the doorway, his eyes drilling into her back as she took a seat in a chair at the far end of the room.

"You have something to say?" she asked.

"…Why did you spare me?"

Ava turned her head, and she realized it was the Familiar she had saved from falling down the stairs. For what felt like forever, she merely stared at him, her eyes dissecting his every fiber with a precision that would have made anyone feel a bit uncomfortable. Finally, though, she spoke, her voice even and calm.

"Don't think I will hesitate to kill you should you ever cross my path again."

He stared back at her, but she just turned away from him once more. After a minute, she heard the door give a soft click, signaling the Familiar's departure, and she finally allowed a weary sigh to leave her lips. For the next hour or so she was left with nothing but her thoughts, as she watched the sun gradually set beyond the horizon through the window. She had looked out said window to see if there was any possible way out, but she had been greeted with a lengthy drop that would have done more harm than good if she had jumped.

Her thoughts travelled back towards the strange man that had brought her here. Deep down, she thirsted to know what had happened to cause a priest to take such a dark path. Why would a man ever desire and relish in such a horrific fate?

A knock on the door surfaced her from her thoughts, head turning up indifferently as a Familiar stepped into the room. He approached her wordlessly and grabbed her by the shoulder, when he paused as she spoke, her voice as calm as the morning tide.

"I wouldn't advise that." She turned her eyes up to him coolly, but only a fool wouldn't be able to see the hidden danger in her tepid orbs.

She could tell by looking into his eyes that he was hesitating, and that he was thinking about what had happened to the other Familiars. This was not one she had encountered yet.

"You don't have a choice," he said at last.

"Don't I?" she challenged evenly. She was so calm, but her eyes were perilous.

It was obvious her refusal was troubling him, and she knew why. He feared his master. They all did. Whoever that man was, he scared the hell out of everyone, and she didn't doubt the Familiar would be punished should he fail to deliver her to him.

As if he had been reading her mind, he suddenly whipped out a gun from beneath the vest he was wearing, holding it up to her head in threat. "He'll get pissed at both of us. So get moving. I don't have all day—"

Her arm shot upwards, and with it the gun. The shock of her speed had slackened his grip as her arm made contact with his, and in result the gun was sent flying up into the air. He was fast, but she was faster, and within seconds he was presented with the gun's nose aimed between his eyes. His hands instantly flew up in surrender, eyes trained intently on the weapon.

Ava eyed him closely, not missing how his shoulders slouched the slightest bit in the initial stages of defeat, or how his cold blue eyes all but pleaded with her silently. Familiars were nothing but slaves to the vampires—disposable dogs used to carry out dirty work in the perils of daylight. She couldn't think of a sadder way to exist.

After some careful consideration, she suddenly stood, and his eyes followed her guardedly as she took a step towards him. She circled around him once, looking him up and down, and when she was at his front again her eyes moved up to his. After that single, brief examination, she had noticed he had a bruised neck, a healing laceration on his arm, and that his left hand had swollen knuckles—probably from being broken in the past. When she looked into his eyes, she could tell he was suspicious of her, but he never made another move to grab her. Nevertheless, she wasn't looking for a gunfight.

"Where is he?" she said at last.

Black Hat looked up when he heard footsteps entering the room, and surprise flashed through his eyes when he saw she was alone, a small group of Familiars following behind her. His eyes shifted downwards when her arm moved forward, and he saw she had a gun in her hand. Assuming she was planning to shoot him, his eyes narrowed treacherously at her, but what she did next took him by complete surprise. She tossed the weapon at him, and he caught it with one hand before looking back at her inquisitively.

"Next time, fetch me yourself instead of arming one of your dogs."

Calmly, he set the gun down on the table before motioning to a chair near him wordlessly. Walking over, she took the seat offered to her, sitting back and crossing one leg over the other in a manner that was almost too casual for the tension simmering in the room. Picking up a glass bottle she assumed was wine, he spoke:

"You still haven't told me where you learned to fight." He poured the wine into a glass, the contents sloshing gently up the sides.

"That's because it remains none of your business," she replied composedly.

"Oh, I think it is." Setting the glass down, he slid it towards her. "Especially considering you put down over twelve of my men."

She stared at him silently.

"But I need to ask… why not just kill them?"

"Because I'm not a murderer," she said.

"Neither am I."

She scoffed.

"I could have left you to suffer the same fate as the others," he reminded her.

"Don't act like you're doing me a favor." She sneered at him. "Those people were my friends. Some of them were practically family!"

He released a cruel "ha". "Then why did none of them rush to your aid?" Then his voice took on a distasteful edge. "They're nothing but a bunch of filthy, writhing maggots, crawling over each other in the battle to survive. They never take a moment to think about anything other than themselves, living life as if they are obligated to have it. When it comes down to it, you and I both know none of them would risk their necks to save each other if it meant certain death."

"You're wrong."

"You're talking to someone who has firsthand experience."

She eyed him closely. "You're talking about the other priests."

His stare remained solid. "What are your views on the vampire race?"

"They're animals. Nothing more, and nothing less." Sitting back in her seat, she folded her arms over her breasts. "However, they've proven to become quite the invasive species. They're the piranha that would eat the whole aquarium if their population isn't controlled." She paused. "As for religious views, which is what I assume you're getting at, I prefer not to view them in that fashion."

"Do explain."

"Vampires are believed to be soulless because they have no eyes. In my opinion, if it's alive, it has a soul. They have minds; they can feel pain. Take the star-nosed mole, for example. It's an eyeless mammal that lives underground, but no one pays any attention to it, because it's a fuzzy little thing. Not so fearsome. If it's big enough and scary enough, people turn it into a religious matter, because they're afraid." She leaned forward. "Don't get me wrong. I hate the bastards."

The corner of his mouth tugged upwards the slightest bit. Yes. He liked this woman. "Are you a nonbeliever?"

"I wouldn't say that. I just don't agree with some of the standpoints."

Silence.

"Your views on yourself aren't exactly worthy of a gold medal, either," she added after a moment.

"I didn't ask you to bring me to your town."

Her eyes narrowed scathingly. "You may not think so, but there are decent people out there. I saw you were injured, and I thought I'd lend a helping hand. My mistake."

"It was your mistake, considering you got your entire town killed." He tilted his head at her. "But don't get me wrong… you have my eternal gratitude."

Grabbing her wine glass, she tossed the contents at his face, causing him to recoil sharply. Releasing an angry snarl, he shot up from his seat, and she followed suit.

"Go ahead, hit me," she hissed. "I know you want to. I bet you hit women on a regular basis. Don't pretend that you're grateful for my help. You could have called those things off, but you didn't. Don't insult my intelligence. There were _children_ in that town. Little babies. Are you going to tell me my friend's newborn son deserved to be hunted by those bloodsuckers?"

He was glaring down at her with eyes that promised death, yet he didn't make any move to strike her. Granted, he had thought about it at first, but he'd managed to calm himself down. Honestly, despite his rage at her audacity, he couldn't help but be impressed at the way she glared right back at him, sizing him up regardless of the fact he was a good head taller than her and a hell of a lot stronger. Either she didn't care if she died, or she was able to read him like a book. Either way, his interest towards her grew in spite of her insubordinate attitude. This was not like the frightened, cowering girl he had dealt with in the train. No, this woman was much stronger, butting heads with him as if he were a normal human man. He liked her spark.

"Why are you keeping me here?"

His eyes shifted back to hers at her question. "Because you interest me."

"Why?"

"You're different from other people."

"_How_?"

"You know how," he replied smoothly. "You're just too modest to admit it."

She hummed contemptuously. "You've made it quite clear modesty isn't your strong point. You think very highly of yourself, don't you?"

"Am I a sinner for knowing where I stand?"

"No, you're a sinner for killing hundreds of people, because you think you're doing the world a favor."

"I'm washing clean an unclean world."

"By bathing it in blood?"

Before he could respond, they were interrupted.

"Sir…?"

Both their heads turned upwards at the sudden voice. A Familiar was standing in the doorway, head lowered submissively as he looked towards Black Hat.

"The trucks are ready. Should we start transportation?"

"Yes. Get the vampires to the hive. I'll meet you there as planned."

Nodding, the Familiar quickly turned to leave without a single glance towards Ava, but she had frozen the second she saw him. Before she could stop herself, she was turning to face him fully, her eyes having widened in disbelief.

"_Damien_?"

Black Hat looked at her. Pausing, the Familiar turned his head in question at hearing his name, and when he finally laid eyes on her his entire body fell rigid, ghostly blue eyes growing in a shock that matched hers. Lips parting a fraction, he stared at her in poorly concealed disbelief.

"Ava…?"

Beside her, Black Hat's eyes shifted back and forth between them, curious of their reactions towards each other. Clearly they were familiar, but to what scale?

"How do you know him?" he questioned her lowly.

Ava was still staring at the Familiar in blank astonishment, and without turning to meet his gaze she answered hollowly:

"He's my brother…"


	3. Answers for Answers

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Ava & Damien.**

**Chapter #3: Answers for Answers**

Black Hat stared down at the woman beside him with incredulity, before he redirected his skeptical stare towards the Familiar. The Familiar, Damien, visibly shrunk back at his master's intense glower.

"Brother?" he repeated.

Ava didn't answer him, still too shocked to form words as she stared at her long lost sibling. It had been almost three whole years since she had last heard from him, thinking him dead after he had disappeared during a raid that had taken place in the town they'd been residing in. Clearly, that was not the case. Her eyes were vaguely horrified as she looked him over. Once warm chestnut brown eyes had been replaced with an ethereal blue, tanned skin now pale—almost sickly in appearance. Dark circles formed under his normally vibrant eyes.

"But… you were dead…. They took you…"

He said nothing at first, seeming to be just as speechless as she was, and she didn't miss how his eyes kept glancing to Black Hat nervously.

"I thought you were dead," he said at last. "What are you doing _here_?"

"Your boss kidnapped me," she spat bitterly. "But that doesn't matter; what the hell happened to you? You're a…" She trailed off as the horrific reality slowly sunk further in. "Did he do this to you?"

Damien's eyes once again took an anxious shift towards Black Hat, that alone enough of an answer for Ava. Before she could stifle it, a simmering rage began to bubble deep within her core, and she felt her blood boil as she turned to face the vampire, her eyes full of hate.

"_You_."

"Ava!" Damien grabbed her, yanking her back before she had a chance to lunge at the vampire. "Ava, calm down! It was my choice!"

Her head snapped up to him with wide eyes. "What…?"

"He didn't force me into anything."

Pulling away, she turned to face him fully, a mixture of betrayal and disbelief in her eyes. "What do you mean… you _chose_ it?"

His eyes were solemn but firm. "I was told you were dead. I looked for you, but I found nothing." He held her gaze solidly, but his glowing azure orbs were somber. "You were all I had. After you were gone, I figured it didn't matter what happened to me."

"So you become a fucking Familiar?" she shouted. "You _willingly_ became a _slave_ to these _murderers_? What the hell is wrong with you?"

He released a heavy sigh that sunk his shoulders. Off to the side, Black Hat was watching this little exchange with nothing short of undivided interest, if not a bit amusement. This certainly was an unexpected, _opportune_ turn of events. So the Familiar was her brother. How interesting.

"Ava, please." Damien sent another wary glance towards Black Hat.

"Stop looking at him!" she snapped, causing his eyes to return to her sharply. "What happened to you? What happened to my brother? You once hated the vampire race. You wanted nothing more than to see them burn."

"Things change," he responded as calmly as he could. "I know nothing I say could make it any better in your mind. All I can tell you is that this is my life now. There's no turning back."

"You've become a slave!"

He sighed. "Ava—"

Turning her back to him, she fixed Black Hat with a venomous glare that was filled to the brim with hatred, and when she spoke her voice pushed out through her teeth in a deadly hiss. "You will _burn_ for this."

"Burn?" His golden orbs were welling with a mixture of contempt and darkened amusement. "You're talking to someone who's been to Hell, darlin'."

* * *

Ava stared grimly out the window, lost in thought as she watched the sun gradually descend beneath the flat horizon. This was her second night spent in this hellhole. Shortly after her encounter with Damien, she had been brought back to her room, where she had spent the hours brooding over the recent events. Damien was alive. He was here, but it was hardly the reunion she had been hoping for all these years. He was a Familiar, hardly even her own flesh and blood anymore. The blood in his veins had been tainted by the venom of the bloodsucking race that appeared to want to seek out and destroy everything she knew and loved. Although she felt a still seething rage towards her golden-eyed captor, she knew deep down that this was not fully on him. Julian had chosen his fate, or so he had said. But why? Why would he allow himself to venture down a path so sinister? There was no proof, but she had a hunch it hadn't been as voluntary as he claimed it to be. For all she knew, he had been on the verge of death, and then he had been presented with a deal of sorts. Whatever had happened, when it all came down to it there was no known cure. Once infected, there was no turning back. The venom of the vampire would forever run through the host's veins.

Closing her eyes, she leaned against the desk she sat at and rested her head down in her arms, a sense of hopelessness suddenly overcoming her. Familiar or not, he was her brother. Could she really abandon her one living family member, infected or not, in her attempts to escape her prison? She had seen it when she'd looked into his eyes. He was still in there. He had pulled her back when she'd attempted to lunge at Black Hat, protecting her against his master's temper. Then suddenly, a quiet knock made her lift her head and look towards the door, her eyes narrowing at the idea of being summoned again. She was not in the mood for more mind games.

"Ava?"

She recognized the voice immediately, and a second later Damien was entering the room. She stood, facing him as he closed the door behind him with a soft click. His eyes were strangely humbled as he met hers, before they fell to the carpet in a dismal lack for words.

"Can we talk?" he asked at last.

"If you want to talk, you can start by telling me the full truth. If you really chose this, I need to know why."

"I told you why." He met her eyes solidly. "I had nothing, Ava. I thought those men had killed you. I thirsted for revenge, and I found my opportunity. I was supposed to protect you. When I thought you were killed, all I could think about was how I'd failed you."

"You think becoming a Familiar was avenging to me?" She was shaking her head in disbelief. "Honestly, Damien, how many drinks did you have before you were turned?"

"Ava—"

"How many people have you killed?" she cut him off. "And do not lie to me."

He released a heavy sigh, shoulders falling with the motion. "Most of us kill at random, but some of us have standards. Personally, I only target those who deserve it."

"Do elaborate," she drawled.

"I don't rape women, and I don't bother children. I've killed plenty of men. They were cheaters, liars, and scum, and you know what? I don't feel remorse. Why? Because they remind me of the men that took you. That took our friends. They were rapists, murderers, and greedy."

Ava looked away when she felt the sting of tears beginning to fester in her eyes, but she did her damned best to hold them back. Her words had failed her. She felt her heart being torn two ways. One half of her wanted nothing more than to forgive him—to give into the tempting thought that she wasn't alone anymore—but at the same time she knew she would only be a hypocrite. If she forgave him, after all he had done, then she had no excuse when it came to _him_. Fanged killer or not, she did not know his story. All she knew was that he had murdered hundreds for a reason unknown to her. Damien was no exception. If he hadn't been her brother, she knew she probably wouldn't have given him a single sniff of sympathy.

Her head suddenly turned upwards when she heard what sounded like footsteps, and she saw Damien had turned away and was walking back towards the door, defeat weighing heavily on his features. Before she could stop herself, she was calling after him.

"Damien!"

He turned back to her to see her rushing towards him, and then her arms were swooping up to wrap around his shoulders. He had jumped a bit when she did this, startled, his hands hovering out at his sides in shock at the sudden embrace.

"Infected or not… you're still my brother," Ava murmured.

She could feel his stiff muscles gradually loosen after a moment, and she felt him return her embrace hesitantly.

"I missed you, brother," she whispered. "You stupid son of a bitch…"

His eyes fell. "Ava…"

"Shhhh…"

He closed his eyes and released a somewhat tremulous exhale, and she felt him tighten his grip on her. "You have to get out of here…"

"I'm afraid that's going to be easier said than done. How many of you are even here?"

"There were fourteen Familiars, but now there are only eleven. Even if there were _none_, my master would catch you before you reached the front gates."

"I don't want you trying anything." Pulling away, she looked him directly in the eyes. "Don't do anything stupid, Damien. I'll be fine."

"You have no idea what the man is capable of, Ava."

"I have an idea, believe me."

"He controls every vampire and Familiar in existence, except for the queen. She is the only one he answers to."

"Do you know how he came to be who he is?" she asked.

"No. All I can tell you is that he has the power of a priest and vampire rolled into one. If you give him a good enough reason, he will break you like a toothpick."

"Which is why you need to be careful." She was fixing him with an intense stare. "Damien, he knows we're related. If you give him any reason to suspect you're more loyal towards me than him, he will _kill you_. Does he even know you're in here?"

"No…"

"Then you need to leave," she said immediately. "If he thinks you're helping me plot an escape, you'll be killed."

His eyes fell.

"Go, Damien. We can talk later."

He appeared nothing short of reluctant, but eventually he nodded, knowing she was right. Before he left, though, he reached into the inside of his jacket and pulled out a dagger before handing it to her. "Keep it hidden. Be cautious around him, Ava. Even when he appears calm, he might snap your neck. Do _not_ test his patience."

With that, he left, locking the door behind him. Testing his patience was not exactly what Ava had in mind. What she wanted to test was his motive. As a leader, she knew he would be more guarded with the Familiars around, but she wondered what he may reveal when alone. Most men were different when not burdened with efforts to impress a crowd. Her guess was that he was no exception. She had to catch him off guard.

Her eyes shifted towards the door, and then she walked towards it. Pressing her ear against the wood, she listened carefully for any signs of voices, footsteps, or breathing, but she heard nothing. Bending down, she looked through the keyhole, but she didn't see anything. Now was her chance. Reaching into her bra, she pulled out a pin and crouched down once more. After a brief moment of tinkering with the lock, she was rewarded with a satisfying click. She paused briefly, waiting to see if anyone had been alerted to her activity, but she was greeted with silence. Standing straight, she slowly turned the knob and dared to edge the door open. Its aged hinges creaked slightly with the movement, but when she peeked out into the hall there wasn't anyone in sight. If she was going to do this, she needed to stick to the shadows and remain unseen. This was her only chance. Stepping out into the hall, she very carefully shut the door behind her.

Night had fallen by now, and the halls were dim, providing plenty of shadows to conceal her in her dark clothing. With the furtiveness of a black panther, she began her journey through the halls. With any luck, she would locate him before he or a Familiar discovered her missing from her room. The mansion was huge, and she had not the slightest idea where to look first. Where would a vampire choose to be at this hour? For all she knew, he was out hunting.

Suddenly, she was alerted to voices, and without thinking she ducked down beneath a table right as a pair of Familiars walked around the corner. She watched their legs pass by from under the table, holding her breath to prevent from making even the faintest of noise. Part of her feared they would be able to detect her presence, but they just kept walking and eventually disappeared around the corner at the opposite end of the hall. Releasing her breath, she slowly crept out from her hiding spot and resumed her trek. Damien had said there were eleven Familiars in the building, so she had to be careful. A fight was not what she was looking for right now. She needed to be discrete.

Her feet were soundless as she padded down another hall, feeling quite lost. There were more doors than she had hairs, and the winding hallways were making her dizzy. It would be a bloody miracle if she found him without giving herself away. _Only you would go looking for the man who potentially wants to make you dinner, _the little voice lectured her, but she ignored it and took a cautious peek around the corner before turning down a different corridor. It appeared most of the Familiars were on the lower levels, which made sense. She had nowhere to go but down if she made any attempt at escaping. It had come as a surprise to her that no one had been guarding her door, however. Her guess was that said guard had left briefly, and he would be back. That gave her limited time.

It seemed luck was on her side that night, however, for when she made her next turn she was presented with a stream of light filtering out into the hallway. She came to a slow halt, hesitating only for a moment before she resumed her step. With the stealth that could rival a hunting vampire, she crept towards the light, which was coming from a door that had been left slightly ajar. Of course, she knew full well it could have been Familiars, but she proceeded nevertheless. As she drew closer, she became aware of something she found odd. Music. She listened as it drifted into the hall in a stream of beautiful notes, and her eyebrows drew together in wonder. Once she was close enough she peeked through the small crack, and she saw him.

His back was facing her, so she was unable to see his face as he reached up and removed his hat from his head, setting it down on the post beside him. She couldn't believe she had found him, but she remained hidden in the shadows, watching him with poorly concealed curiosity. She watched as he shrugged off the long black coat, hanging that on the post as well. It appeared she had caught him in the process of retiring for the night, which was interesting in itself considering he was a vampire. It would have been her guess that he would have been most active at this time. Reaching up, the cloth tied around his neck went next, and he began unbuttoning the front of his shirt.

Ava's eyes remained glued to his every move, feeling a bit intrusive despite who she was spying on. Now was no time for morals. Before long, his top half was completely bare, and she was given a good look at his scarred back. Toned muscles flexed as he turned to hang the shirt on the post, broad shoulders rolling as he cracked his neck. Turning, he walked towards the mirror sitting atop a dresser, and although his back was still facing her she was able to get a look at his reflection through the mirror. One of the first things she noticed was that the burns that had been so severe a mere two nights ago were now completely healed. The only wounds that remained were the faded scars he'd had before, including the vicious claw marks that ran over his shoulder. He was well-built, she'd give him that, and admittedly handsome. If she had met him in a different life, she may have considered him partner material.

Her eyes shifted up towards his face in the mirror. He was staring at his reflection, golden eyes seeming to glow in the dim lighting. His eyes were grim as he stared at himself, darkened with obvious discontentment. If she didn't know any better, she might have said he appeared a little sad. Then all of a sudden he paused, muscles visibly tensing, and she cursed inwardly when she saw his lips slowly turn upwards through the mirror; though, the action was mirthless. Glancing down, he released a small chuckle.

"Not many people can sneak up on me." Standing straighter, he turned to face the door, and her eyes closed slowly.

Knowing there was no point in running, she stood up straight and pushed the door open so he could see her. She stepped in calmly, eyes unreadable as she met his gaze with even eyes.

"Trying to sneak up on a vampire? I can smell your blood from here," he purred softly.

She said nothing.

"What are you doing out of your cage, mouse?" he asked smoothly.

"Taking a midnight stroll. Nice place you got here."

Her response caused his smirk to grow a fraction. "What can I do for you?"

Rather than answering him, she surprised him when she stepped further into the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click. He watched her closely as she approached him at a cool gait, her eyes falling to his body as she drew near. It baffled him a bit that she would venture so close to him after being caught spying, but he made no move to touch her as she gave him a onceover. Her eyes were studying him with careful scrutiny, but she didn't appear scathing or disgusted as she examined him. If anything, she appeared curious. Another thing that caught his interest was her heartbeat, its rhythm slow and patterned. She was completely calm, not an ounce of fear detectable about her. Even the Familiars' heartbeats sped up when too close to him, even if he was in a good mood.

"Your burns are healed," she commented offhandedly.

He stared at her, not saying anything.

"May I ask why these scars have remained?" she asked, eyes lingering on one that stretched from his side all the way across his stomach in a diagonal line.

His eyes practically burned holes through her. Why was she asking him this? Her sudden curiosity was slightly arcane, if not suspicious. Just hours ago she had been ready to tear into his throat.

"I acquired them before being turned," he said at last, deciding to humor her with an answer.

"When you were still a priest?"

"…Yes."

Her eyes remained glued to his body. It was like she was putting together a puzzle, her hazel-green orbs examining each mark as if they formed some kind of equation. His eyebrows drew together slightly as he watched her, the corners of his mouth tugging into a miniature frown. What was she doing? She was acting very strange.

"Why did you come here…?" he asked finally, unable to restrain his curiosity any longer.

At long last, her eyes met his, calm as ever. "What happened to you?"

He blinked. "What?"

"What happened to make you so bitter? What could cause a priest to side with the thing he sacrificed his whole life to hunt?"

The stare he was setting her with was nothing short of incredulous. It was obvious she had escaped from her room, and that she had sought him out. What he couldn't figure out was _why_. This woman had been giving him nothing but hell for the past forty-eight hours, and now all of a sudden she wanted to talk? She had not yet ceased to puzzle him. Nevertheless, he found himself tempted. This was the first time in a long time that someone was willingly striking a conversation with him, and despite himself he found the temptation too great. Perhaps he could finally get some answers of his own.

"Answers for answers?" he said at last.

She was quiet for a moment, but then she responded with a small nod. "Fair enough."

"Very well. You can start by telling me how you escaped your room."

She shrugged. "I picked the lock. There was no one standing guard."

"And you made it all the way here without being caught?"

"I can be very quiet."

"So I've noticed." He grinned vaguely at her, but then it was gone. He motioned towards the sofa in the room. "Sit down."

She looked behind her, and then did as he said, as he walked over to where a crystal bottle sat on a table. He poured two glasses before joining her, and she accepted the drink that was offered to her as he sat down at the opposite end of the couch.

"How long have you been like this?" she asked.

"Five years."

"Are you the one who was behind the train crash?"

At this question, his eyes appeared to darken, staring down at his drink as he swished the contents around in the glass. "I wasn't the one who crashed it, no. You can thank two priests and a less than impressive hick for that."

For a moment, she was quiet. "How did you become a vampire?"

He lifted his drink to his lips and took a thoughtful sip, studying the contents with dismal interest. "Are you familiar with Sola Mira?"

"Yes. It's one of the largest hives."

"I was sent there with a group of the best priests. Our mission was to hunt down the queen and kill her. As you can probably assume, it didn't go quite as planned."

She remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"The moment we were inside, I could tell something was wrong. There were no vampires in sight. It should have been crawling with them. However, when I voice my concerns, our leader dismissed me. We had our orders, and there was no leaving until we found the queen. So, we ventured further into the hive." He glanced down at his drink. "Before long we located her, but before we could venture into her chambers our leader motioned for us to halt. As I expected, it had been a trap. Within seconds, we were completely surrounded by vampires. They lunged from all directions, outnumbering us by dozens. We had no choice but to run for daylight."

"You fell."

He nodded. "We were there. Sunlight was mere feet away. He was in front of me."

"Your leader?"

"Yes. He made it out, and I would have as well, but one of the vampires managed to snag me by the ankle, and I slammed to the ground on my stomach. He jumped after me and caught me by the arm, but the vampires were strong. Inch by inch his grip slipped, and I could all but hold on as tightly as I could while their claws dug into my legs. It was when I looked into his eyes that I knew all hope was lost, and the next second he let go. I was dragged away on my stomach, watching helplessly as the sunlight disappeared." Lifting his glass, he knocked back the rest of his drink with a single swig. "I was taken to the depths of the hive, where I was pinned down to a slab of rock, helpless as they ripped my robes from my upper half to get to my skin. I can't remember how long I had to endure their fangs piercing my flesh, sucking the life from me bit by bit as I stared up at the towering ceiling of the hive. I prayed for death to be quick, but God wasn't listening. Yet it turned out someone else was."

"You're talking about the queen," said Ava quietly.

His eyes glanced at her. "All I remember is that the biting ceased, and I saw her above me. I was on the verge of death. I was sure I would die, but she had other plans for me. She gave me her blood."

Ava stared at him. "I can't even imagine what it must have been like…"

"No." He looked her directly in the eyes. "You couldn't."

Her eyes fell, and he leaned back in his seat.

"It was painful at first," he admitted. "Being turned isn't exactly a soothing experience, but once my body became adjusted to the blood it was like my soul had jumped right back into me. Everything was so clear. Admittedly, at first it was overwhelming. Everything was too loud, and a million scents were entering my nose at one time. I could feel everything around me. I could even taste the air." He looked down at his empty glass. "Gradually, however, I grew used to it. Five years later, I'm better off than I ever had been with the priests."

"How do you figure?" she asked, unable to mask the faint contempt in her tone.

"I live life how I want. No one is there to tell me what I can and cannot do. That is how the life of a priest is. Every detail of our lives are controlled by the Church. We ate what they told us to, slept when they told us to, and spoke when they told us to. We were denied any possible enjoyment in life. Every desire we had was a sin. All I want is to be able to live life without suffering constantly… to no longer be told that my every desire is a sin."

Ava didn't miss how his eyes shifted towards her at that last sentence, and how they gave her a suggestive onceover. Choosing to ignore this, she lifted her glass to her lips, having almost forgotten she had it, and took a long sip.

"Where is the queen now?" she asked offhandedly.

"Hidden."

Well, it was worth a shot. "And the vampires that attacked my town?"

"With her."

Silence.

"So now that you know how I came to be the monster under your bed, it's your turn to cough up some answers."

Licking her lips, she set her now empty glass down on the table beside her. "Before I do that, I want to make something clear."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, and she turned her head to meet his eyes solidly.

"I don't care that you're a vampire. That's now why I view you with disdain. I could care less about _what_ you are."

He was eyeing her carefully. "I don't follow."

"It's not about what you are," she continued calmly. "It's who you've allowed yourself to become. You chose to be a killer."

"I chose to remain loyal to the one thing that has ever showed me a trace of understanding."

She hardly appeared convinced, but she didn't look upon him with as much condescension as he had expected. If anything, she appeared as if she were debating with herself on whether or not to buy his story.

"Your turn," he said. "Enough about me."

She released a sigh. "Fine. You asked where I learned to fight."

He waited for her to carry on.

"Ever since I was a little girl, around the age of eight years old, I've been trained to fight all types of combat. I know Kung Fu, karate, jujitsu, aikido, taekwondo, kalarippayattu, savate, et cetera. I can fight with almost any weapon you give me. I'm no priest. I couldn't take on a hive of vampires, but I can hold my own against a few."

"So I've seen. Who trained you? Were they members of the Church?"

"No. My teachers obtained their skills by their own means. It had been passed down through generations."

"How many of you are there?"

"Not many. Fewer than there are priests. We aren't an organization. We're merely trying to protect ourselves. The only reason I was accepted into the group was because of my father. He was good friends with one of the senseis, and when my parents passed they took me in."

"What of your brother? He hadn't demonstrated any of your skills since he's joined my forced."

"I was separated from Damien when I was three years old. We didn't meet up again until I was fifteen. We were separated again when I was nineteen after raiders attacked our town, and he was taken as a hostage. I looked for him for nearly a year, but I never found him. I thought he was dead until yesterday."

He nodded slowly. "I see…"

"What about you?"

His gaze moved back to hers. "What about me?"

"How old were you when the clergy found you?"

"I was eleven…" He considered her curiously for a moment. "You said you were taken in when your parents passed. What happened?"

He watched her eyes fall at his question, as a dark shadow fell over her features, and he knew then that the conversation was over.

"That's enough sharing for one night," she said quietly, but a firmness lingered in her voice that held no room for argument.

He might have persisted anyway, if it hadn't been for the sudden rapid knocking on his door, followed by the anxious voice of a Familiar.

"Sir, the girl's escaped! We're searching the building now. All exits are blocked, so she's still in the building."

Black Hat snorted and rolled his eyes, and when he spoke his voice held derisive amusement. "No need to release the hounds, my friend. She's in here with me."

There was a pause. "…Sir?"

_"Talking,"_ Ava added when she heard the Familiar's tone. The last thing she needed was everyone thinking she was giving herself up to their boss.

Black Hat glanced at her at her comment, but then he looked back towards the door. "Call the others off. I'll take her back to her room myself."

Ava listened as the Familiar's footsteps disappeared down the hall, and all she could think about was that Damien was likely recovering from cardiac arrest, and how he would react when word got to him that she had been in his boss's bedroom.

* * *

**Hope you liked this chapter. How will things roll out from here? Where are the vampires being transported to?**


	4. Veranda

**Disclaimer: **_**Priest**_** and its characters belong to Scott Stewart.**

**Claimer: I own Ava & Damien.**

**Chapter #4: Veranda**

The sound of a fist knocking against wood was what roused her from a troubled sleep, and a low groan left through her lips at the thought of dealing with more Familiars. Forcing herself up into a more dignified position, she looked towards the door as a group of five Familiars, including her brother, entered the room carrying pales of steaming water. Brow drawing together, she watched them disappear into the bathroom, and there was the sound of sloshing water. One by one, they exited the bathroom, buckets now empty, and left the room without sparing a single glance in her direction—all except for Damien, who had lagged behind.

"He told us to prepare a hot bath for you in case you wanted to wash up," he explained.

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. He made sure to peek out into the hall to ensure they were alone before turning back to her.

"I should put you down for the stunt you pulled last night," he hissed.

"We both know you wouldn't be able to." The smile she gave him was teasing, but he wasn't amused in the slightest.

"This isn't a joke, Ava! You could have been killed!"

"I wasn't."

He turned away, clear aggravation etched into his every movement.

"He wasn't upset," she said.

"And you're damn lucky he wasn't! And what the hell were you doing in his bedroom?"

"Having a pillow fight," she responded sardonically, her expression just as flat.

Damien scoffed. "Did he make advances on you?"

"No. All we did was talk."

"About what?"

"I'll tell you later."

To say he looked frustrated would have been a blatant understatement.

"I'm fine, Damien. Everything is under control."

"It's _never_ in your control!" he hissed. "Not around him."

Another sigh left her lips.

"I'll be standing guard," he said with finality. "I suggest you wash up, because he's going to be coming for you."

"Why?"

"You've caught his undivided attention, especially after last night. He probably wants to know more about you, and you'll be lucky if that's all."

She scoffed. "I feel like I'm being forced into some kind of twisted date."

Once Damien was outside, she stepped into the bathroom and stared down at the full tub. Releasing a weary sigh, she undecidedly began to strip down, not about to turn down the chance to bathe despite where she was. Lifting her leg, she tentatively tested the water with her foot. It was hot, but it wasn't scorching. Carefully, she stepped in and sat down slowly, allowing her body to adjust to the heat. Resting back, she allowed her eyes to drift shut, where she proceeded to fall into a deep thought.

Her mind travelled back to the night before, and what she had seen. No matter how much she tried to shake it, she couldn't rid the image of his eyes as he was looking into that mirror. He had seemed almost resentful, golden orbs darkened with distinct traces of melancholy. Perhaps it had all been in her imagination. She recalled what he had told her; how he had been tied down and unable to move when turned. Unlike her original assumption, it had not been something he willingly sought out. He'd fallen during a hunt for the queen, and he'd been dragged away and _fed_ on. There was no question in her mind he must have been scared to death, confident he was going to die alone in the depths of that hive with no hopes of ever seeing light again. Now, he likely felt he owed his life to the queen. It was the only possible explanation she could conjure up.

Ava sighed deeply. In truth, she felt compassion for him to a certain extent. It didn't take experience to know his life had been likely filled with infinite suffering prior to falling. Priests were hardly thanked sufficiently for their troubles, and it never ceased to anger her. She had seen how people veered away at the sight of them; how they dipped their heads or turned their gazes aside to avoid eye contact. Entire crowds would split should a priest pass through, but not out of respect. Some would even laugh, snickering and muttering in hushed mockery amongst themselves as the caped crusaders passed by. Ignorant fools, the lot of them. Without the priests, they all would have perished.

She finished her bath, muscles loosened from the warm water. The steam had helped to clear her senses, as she forced herself to leave the comforting heat of the bath's embrace. There was no telling when _he_ or another Familiar may come knocking, and she hardly wished to be caught indecent by their prying eyes. She dried herself off with the towel that had been left for her, which she used to wipe the steam from the mirror's fogged glass. Picking up a hairbrush, she combed out her dark locks, when she noticed a set of fresh clothes had been left for her, folded neatly on the toilet. When she got a closer look at them, she realized they were hers. Her host must have had the Familiars take them from her home….

Briefly, she felt her spirits dim. She wondered if Jonathan had managed to escape with his family, even though deep down she knew it was an unlikely fantasy. She cringed as she picked up a bra. The thought that they had been through her underwear was less than a gratifying thought, but she knew she should be thankful they had been provided for her. She pulled on a pair of black pants and black shirt left for her, wondering if her black-clad captor had purposely chosen the outfit out for her. Tugging on and buckling her boots, she picked up her leather jacket and shrugged it on, when she suddenly paused as she spotted a folded piece of paper that had been hidden beneath the pile of clothes. Frowning a bit, she picked it up and unfolded it. After a quick glance, she realized it was from _him_.

_Meet me on the third floor at the balcony._

Her eyebrows drew together. Walking towards the door, she knocked on it lightly to get Damien's attention, but she was provided with no answer.

"Damien…?"

Silence.

She looked down at the note once again before glancing back towards door. Slowly, she lifted her hand and gripped doorknob. To her surprise, the door was unlocked. Her eyebrows shot high on her forehead, and she pushed the door open cautiously. No one was out in the hall. He'd left the room unlocked. Not sure what to make of the situation, she decided she may as well start searching for this balcony. It was likely a large, open room. In the end, her curiosity won the battle. Her guess was that the balcony was on the top floor, which was where she had been the night before. Without much trouble, she managed to locate the staircase. Everything appeared different with the light gracing its features, as she became aware of a draft drifting through the hall. She followed it to a large double door, and she pushed on it gently.

She was presented with a large, open room, as expected. Daylight poured in through the large windowed doors that had been left open, the long, silky curtains blowing into the room from the gentle breeze. In the center of the room sat a dining table, dressed with a tempting selection of food, some of which she hadn't seen in years, such as the ham. It smelled delicious, and she felt her stomach growl with temptation. Looking around, she didn't see her golden-eyed host anywhere in sight. She slowly ventured further into the room and over to the balcony doors, pushing the flowing curtains aside with her arm as the breeze blew them towards her. He wasn't on the balcony, either. Perhaps she was early….

Or she was late, and he was looking for her.

"I must admit… I wasn't sure you'd come."

Ava turned sharply, once again lifting her arm as the curtain blew in front of her. He was standing beside the room's entrance, and she realized he'd been standing there the majority of the time, having been observing her silently. She eyed him suspiciously.

"What game is this?"

"No games." Calmly, he stepped out from the shadows and walked over to the table. Pulling out a chair, he motioned for her to sit. "Just breakfast."

She resisted urge to roll her eyes, but she decided to humor him. Walking over, she took the seat offered to her, and he pushed the chair in for her. Her eyes shifted towards him guardedly when he leaned down beside her, one hand coming to rest on the table while the other held the back of her chair.

"Tell me," he began, "when's the last time you had _real_ breakfast?"

"To be honest, not in awhile."

A smile tugged at his lips. "Eat as much as you like."

Then he moved away from her, taking the seat across from her. He removed his hat, and she watched him closely for a moment.

"You know, you never answered my question," she said.

"What's that?"

"You haven't told me why you're keeping me prisoner."

"Prisoner? I wouldn't use such harsh words. Are prisoners given comfortable beds, hot baths, and the best quality of food to eat?"

"Sugar coating the truth won't make it false. I can't leave. Therefore, I am a prisoner," she retorted. She glanced down at her plate. "Tell me, who did you steal this from?"

"I didn't steal it. I have connections on the outside as well, some even human."

She stared at him skeptically, and after a moment he nodded towards the food.

"Eat, or it will only go to waste."

She knew he was right, and after a long moment of debating it, she finally picked up her fork and lifted a bite of scrambled eggs into her mouth, chewing slowly as if she were afraid he'd poisoned it. She glanced up when she saw him bite into a sausage, and she paused, brows knitting together.

"You eat food?"

"A man can't live on blood alone." His eyes shifted up to hers.

She was quiet for a lengthy minute. "Who prepared this?"

"Your brother and two other Familiars."

She nodded. "I figured Damien had contributed. He's the only one that knows I like hot sauce in my eggs."

He paused. "Is that what that taste was?"

She nodded and popped a piece of sausage into her mouth. "If you're really aiming to impress me, I would suggest cooking the food yourself."

He snorted. "If dying from food poisoning is your wish, then I'll cook your next meal."

In spite of herself, she smirked. "They don't teach you culinary arts in the priesthood?"

"Who needs to know how to cook when all you're allowed is bread, cheese, and water?"

She silenced, eyeing him with deep scrutiny, but otherwise said nothing. The rest of their meal was spent in silence, and although she tried her hardest to keep her eyes down, they kept flickering towards him every so often in an uncontrollable interest. He was so strange. One second he was the fiercest creature she had ever come across, and the next he was capable of being a complete gentleman. It was bizarre.

Once she was done eating, he summoned a few Familiars into the room to clean up, and she allowed him to lead her out onto the balcony through the flowing curtains. Endless desert stretched out beyond the horizon, the only landmarks being the rocky mountaintops in the far distance. The lack of life never ceased to sadden her, as she recalled what it must have looked like before the vampire menace had taken over during the war. Deep within her, she felt anger bubble directed at the fanged race, and partially towards the black-clad man standing at her side. She knew the apocalypse wasn't his fault, of course. She couldn't blame him for the wastelands. What she could blame him for was attempting to start it all over again.

"You're free to walk around as you please."

She looked up in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"There's no point in keeping you locked up now that the vampires aren't here. I'm giving you full access to the mansion." He turned his head to her. "Damien will show you around if you like."

She could only blink, not at all sure how to respond to the sudden hospitality being shown to her. He didn't give her a chance to form words, turning away from the balcony railing and walking back into the room. Ava watched him go, eyebrows having creased together ever so slightly as she considered the fanged man with no miniscule amount of curiosity.

Inside, the Familiars were still finishing up clearing off the table, and their heads lifted one by one as she stepped back into the room. Their eyes followed her distastefully as she passed, but she ignored them as she made her way to the door. Right as she was going to leave, however, a couple of the ghost-eyed servants stepped in from the hallway, blocking her path out of the room. She halted, staring at them as they stared back with darkened eyes. A shuffling behind her caused her to glance over her shoulder without turning her head, as the three Familiars who had been assigned to clear the table joined the two at the doorway, making a total count of five as they surrounded her in a semi-tight circle. Despite being outnumbered, she kept a cool composure as she looked at each of them.

"Do you really think this is going to end well for you, boys?"

They were glaring, but whatever it was they had planned was interrupted the second Damien appeared behind the two in the doorway, and when he saw what was going on he promptly shoved through them to stand in front of Ava protectively. The others were clearly perplexed, and no less suspicious, at their counterpart's behavior, and it was then she realized they had no idea he was her brother.

"All of you know she's the boss's property. If we touch her, we'll be dead before we even see him," said Damien lowly.

They seemed to be considering his words, but they made no move to back off.

Damien continued, "And either you're forgetting what she did to you all earlier, or you're idiots."

She smirked at his back as they exchanged bitter glances. A couple of them were sporting shiners, a blatant reminder of their previous defeat. For what felt like an hour they held their glares, but then they were backing off one by one, each no less begrudging than the last. Once they were cleared out of the way, Damien grabbed her by the arm, and he promptly lead her from the room. She didn't fight him, and when they reached a secluded room he shut the door behind them and locked it before turning to face her.

"What are you doing walking around by yourself?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. He gave me freedom to walk the mansion."

His expression said it all. "_Why_?"

She shrugged. "I couldn't tell you. He's an extremely hard man to predict."

"You're telling me." Shaking his head, he released a wary sigh. "We need to get you out of here before he returns to the queen…"

"Wouldn't that give me a good chance to escape?"

"He'll likely take you with him. I don't know why he's keeping you around… but I know it's not for anything good."

"You think he's going to feed me to those things?"

He shook his head slowly. "Not feed…"

"Then what?"

His lips parted to speak, when a sudden knocking on the door caused his mouth to hastily seal shut.

"Damien, you in there?" a voice grunted.

"What is it?" he snapped.

"The Master is asking for you."

Blinking, he exchanged an uneasy glance with Ava, who appeared no less concerned.

"When?"

"Now."

Footsteps could be heard fading down the hall as the messenger left. Eyes turning downwards, Damien moved towards the door, but Ava quickly grabbed him by the arm.

"Damien, no—"

"I don't have a choice," he cut her off sharply. "You know that." He looked back towards the door. "If I don't go, he will only grow suspicious."

Ava's eyes redirected to the faded crimson carpeting, troubled. A hand on her shoulder made her lift her head to him once more to see he was setting her with a reassuring stare.

"I'll be fine. However, if something does happen, don't do anything stupid in order to save me. We'll both end up dead, or worse."

"You can't expect me to stand by if he tries hurting you, Damien," said Ava ingenuously.

"I do, and you will," he replied, voice and eyes leaving no room for argument.

She was silent, but her eyes told him she was not going to back down so easily. Nevertheless, he knew arguing with her would get him nowhere, and testing his boss's unpredictable temper was no wiser. So, with that, he turned away and left Ava to stand by her lonesome, the feeling of her eyes branding her worry into his back lingering as he went.

* * *

Black Hat turned his head coolly when he heard the door creak open, and Damien stepped into the room with the manner of a cautious deer emerging from his den to face a hungry wolf. Said wolf merely turned his gaze back towards the window, showing no sign of attack just yet.

"Your sister is quite the woman," he said offhandedly.

Damien remained quiet for a moment. "…She thinks you're quite the character yourself, sir."

Black Hat emitted a quiet chuckle. Turning, he faced the Familiar coolly and motioned to one of two chairs in the room. "Sit down."

Damien did as he was told, maintaining an impassive front as the vampire sat across from him in the second chair. Lifting a leg, he casually rested it on the table between them, penetrating orbs concealed by the rim of his hat. It was as unsettling as it was dominating, and the Familiar forced back an uneasy swallow.

"What is it you wanted to see me for?" he asked at last, once the silence began to eat away at him.

Black Hat examined him carefully from beneath the brim of his hat, and for the first moment he was quiet. "You look nervous, my friend."

Damien stared, not daring to deny it.

"I merely want to ask you about your sister."

He blinked. "Sir…?"

"She's not an easy one to talk to. I must admit… she's the first one to ever give me challenge. It's not easy to scare her into compliance."

The corners of Damien's lips twitched, but they never quite made it to a full smirk. "She has her secrets, many of which I'm not even aware of. She's very guarded. Always has been."

"So I've noticed," said Black Hat. "What happened to your parents?"

He stilled visibly at this question. "…They passed when she was very young."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Damien stared at the vampire, knowing denying him an answer was just about as wise as dangling a mouse in front of a cobra. "…The town we were in was attacked by a small group of maybe fifteen vampires. Our father was keeping them at bay while our mother ran to get us and bring us to the safe room. Ava was only eight at the time. I was eleven. Once we were as safe as we could be, our mother ran to aid our father. Neither of them made it through the attack…" His eyes fell briefly, darkened reminiscence shadowing his hardened features. "I'd never seen Ava cry before that night. Even as a baby, she had always been so calm. She cried for days…. That was when the Order took us in."

"The Order?"

"The people that trained Ava to fight. I was trained as well, but I never had Ava's gift. I could take down a group of men, but she could take on a group of thirty, and then some."

The black-clad man emitted a thoughtful grunt in response. "Tell me more."

Damien blinked. "Sir? What exactly is it you want to know?"

"Anything you can think of."


End file.
